To echo rknop above: you will be able to signup for the specials in the Lottery process and we generally have quite a few regular PFS slots open when Open Registration begins. The best timeline I can offer is that it will be a few weeks out from the convention itself. We'll be emailing/social media-ing/blasting the information on all fronts once the lottery and open registration starts :)
This year is going to be my first PaizoCon. What's this about a lottery?
RPG Superstar 2011 Top 32
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Special events, including games with Paizo staffers and some 3pp stuff is filled by lottery. For example, I have played an Unspeakable Futures game with James Jacobs and the yearly tournament - Green Blood on a Black Rock. Basically, tons of cool stuff gets listed with blurbs and you rank what sounds good to you -- the rest comes down to luck of the draw.
((There are a few more wrinkles, likely explained in the Faq, like the buddy system and trading.))
This year is going to be my first PaizoCon. What's this about a lottery?
The PaizoCon Event Lottery is the most fair way we've come up with for people to sign up for staff and high profile events. Essentially you mark your preferences for events you'd like to go to, and after the selection period is up, we run our lottery scripts to assign people to events. After the lottery is run, people can trade event sign ups, register for open events and adjust their schedule until we get within a week of the show. We'll be alerting people via the blog/email/social media once we have our schedule for when this all starts with more detailed instructions :)
Does this apply to the PFS specials?
Yep, the specials will be included in the lottery as they are considered high profile events. However, given the number of seats it's possible there will be open spots once the lottery is finished (this has been true the last couple of years).
Thanks for the information on how this will work. This will be my first year at PaizoCon as well and I had been wondering the same things.
Any chance there is an old page or pdf that shows what kind of events were listed in the lottery in previous years? Just to get an idea of what kind of events they are.
Thanks
JD
Thanks for the information on how this will work. This will be my first year at PaizoCon as well and I had been wondering the same things.
Any chance there is an old page or pdf that shows what kind of events were listed in the lottery in previous years? Just to get an idea of what kind of events they are.
Thanks
JD
Hey there! I don't believe we have anything public from last year, but this page has some sneak peeks of what we're cooking up this year. You may also want to check out our PaizoCon blog posts for past years and recaps. :)
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Re: Specials, I will say that I've done special sign ups both with and without lottery for the three PaizoCons I've gone to. As long as you log on to sign up for things during open sign ups post lottery the day of, you should be fine. I don't think I've ever seen it come close to filling up on lottery alone.
That said, if you want to play it, make sure to sign up for the lottery! Best way to be sure.
Correct me if Im wrong, but the specials last year were not lottery events. One of these main reasons I go to PaizoCon is the ability to play the special. I have signed up for both of this years specials in the lottery. All I can say Is I'll be extremely disappointed if I cant play them. You presale tickets and don't not have a shortage of quality GM's. I see absolutely no reason why anyone who buys ticket early should ever be denied a seat at the special.
Sale x tickets, divide by 6 and have that number of tables plus some for walkins. I also dont understand why yall have so many core tables, but that's another issue.
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RPG Superstar 2011 Top 32
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Correct me if Im wrong, but the specials last year were not lottery events. One of these main reasons I go to PaizoCon is the ability to play the special. I have signed up for both of this years specials in the lottery. All I can say Is I'll be extremely disappointed if I cant play them. You presale tickets and don't not have a shortage of quality GM's. I see absolutely no reason why anyone who buys ticket early should ever be denied a seat at the special.
Sale x tickets, divide by 6 and have that number of tables plus some for walkins. I also dont understand why yall have so many core tables, but that's another issue.
I think your assessment of how many people attend and how many people volunteer an can be fit in a room is incorrect. I am pretty sure, at least for the last two years, that more people could not have been put in the room. It was full. And, people couldn't get in. And, some of those people watched the open event page closely.
I know the call for GM volunteers was closed in like 10 minutes as they had the numbers they needed. I know three star GM's and above that weren't able to volunteer because the spaces were already filled. I know the new hotel is supposed to be much larger than last years hotel.
I know the new hotel is supposed to be much larger than last years hotel.
The space provided by the hotel isn't the issue, it's the space in the single room for the special. That's the limitation. Because the specials have eventually sold out each year, they have added it to the lottery. There is usually space available *after* the lottery though, so most people who really want to play the special get to (as long as they're paying attention to the lottery and open event signup).
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RPG Superstar 2011 Top 32
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I know the call for GM volunteers was closed in like 10 minutes as they had the numbers they needed. I know three star GM's and above that weren't able to volunteer because the spaces were already filled. I know the new hotel is supposed to be much larger than last years hotel.
I hope the room is larger and that there is more space this year. That room was super loud, with many people stacked on each other. I love the PFS special, but like Henry V, "I pray thee, wish not one man more."
More generally, I think the staffers devised an elegant solution, two specials. 420 people will play a special. I am betting the number of people who, after making a reasonable effort in event trading and looking for dropped lottery events, do not get into one of the specials and really wanted to, will be small.
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Hurray !!!!! Hugs for Sara. Find me at the hotel bar for a drink on me ;)
Hurray !!!!! Hugs for Sara. Find me at the hotel bar for a drink on me ;)Red-eyed, ram-horned ... should be easy to find you!
Its easy, just look for the group of players from New Orleans. We kind of stick out, especially in bars ;)
Quick question regarding PFS.
How many scenarios does it usually take to level up?
This will be my first PaizoCon and I suspect I may be doing some PFS while there, but I'm trying to figure out scheduling. Since I will be starting out with a brand new PC I wanted to get an idea of what scenarios i should be realistically looking at being able to play in?
Thanks
JD
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RPG Superstar 2011 Top 32
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Quick question regarding PFS.
How many scenarios does it usually take to level up?
This will be my first PaizoCon and I suspect I may be doing some PFS while there, but I'm trying to figure out scheduling. Since I will be starting out with a brand new PC I wanted to get an idea of what scenarios i should be realistically looking at being able to play in?
Thanks
JD
Be sure to read the campaign rules. But, generally (doing only PFS Scenarios and not electing slow progression and not dying, etc) you need 3 scenarios to level. Each grants 1 XP and you need 3 to level.
